Unlike their royal tours, the British royal family’s vacations are typically private affairs. However, we do know some of their favorite locations, from Princess Margaret’s love of the island of Mustique (she owned a villa there!) to Prince Harry’s repeated trips to Botswana (he famously took Meghan Markle on their third date in the country).
Read on for a list of the British royal family’s top vacation spots.
1
Mustique, Saint Vincent
For their third date, Meghan and Harry traveled to Botswana. “We camped out with each other under the stars,” Harry reminisced in their joint engagement interview. “We were really by ourselves, which was crucial to me to make sure that we had a chance to get to know each other.” Talk about a romantic vacation!
They reportedly stayed at Meno a Kwena, near the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The Sussexes returned the following year to celebrate Meghan’s birthday in the country.
More: Why Meghan and Harry’s Third Date Was So Important
Prince Charles and Princess Diana took their sons William and Harry to Mallorca in 1987, where they stayed with the Spanish royal family. Diana loved it so much, she returned the next year.
More: T&C Travel Guide to Mallorca
Prince Charles loves skiing at Klosters in the Swiss Alps; he even has two chair lifts named after him. (But Camila, unlike Diana, doesn’t like to a ski.) Klosters, too, is famously where the world first learned that Prince William was dating Kate Middleton, when the two were photographed skiing together in 2004.
Though its famous for skiing, Klosters is beautiful in the summertime—with plenty of hiking trails and outdoor activities.
More: These Are the Favorite Ski Resorts of European Royalty
The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago off the coast of Cornwall where the Cambridges have visited numerous times. There’s some history there: Prince William visited the Isles when he was young, alongside his parents and brother. It’s the UK’s only tropical islands, and according to their tourism site, they are “outstandingly beautiful, uncrowded and unspoilt.” Sounds like the perfect vacation spot.
More: Kate Middleton, Prince William, and Their Kids Go on Vacation to the Isles of Scilly
10
The Scottish Highlands, Scotland
Last but certainly not least: The British royal family’s favorite summer vacation spot is in the Scottish Highlands at Balmoral Castle. Queen Elizabeth has spent every August there, with various members of her family coming up to spend part of the month with her.
“I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” her granddaughter Princess Eugenie said in documentary Our Queen At Ninety. “Walks, picnics, dogs—a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs—and people coming in and out all the time. It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there, where you just have room to breathe and run.”
More: Inside the Royals’ Favorite Scottish Getaway, Balmoral Castle
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
